


Zuko Gets Good Sisters

by WordGoober



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Avatar Comics, Friendship, Suki is a good friend, Ty Lee is a good friend, Zuko gets hugs, Zuko learns what it's like to have nice sisters, poor stressed Zuko
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-10
Updated: 2017-06-10
Packaged: 2018-11-12 08:24:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11158020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WordGoober/pseuds/WordGoober
Summary: Something I thought about while I was reading "The Promise"(The first ATLA graphic novel). I would suggest reading that before this, but I guess you don't have??? to?This would take place before the resolution of the story. Rated Teen + cause there is a *bAd WoRD* near the end.Anyway.Zuko's not doing so great and Suki and Ty Lee want to help. So they do.





	Zuko Gets Good Sisters

**Author's Note:**

> Again, this may not make sense if you haven't read "The Promise". That is not mine. These characters are not mine. They are, however, very good and deserve hugs. So I made them give each other some.

There are good days and bad days. There are days when all of his friends are here, when his Uncle serves tea to everyone and there is laughter and comfort and warmth. There are days when he wakes with the ache Azula's lightning left so deep in his chest it hurts to breathe. Days when generals or commoners alike come from every nation and tell him how glad they are that he isn't like his father, when the world still seems bright and new. Days when his scar still prickles with the pain of long damaged nerves still feebly trying to heal, and he wonders if he'll ever be able to move on. Bad days are hard, especially due to the immense pressure that came with leading what he'd promised would be a new world. Good days kept him going, kept him hopeful. Good days were becoming more common now, but nights - nights were always bad.  
In truth, he'd felt safer sleeping on the floor of the western air temple surrounded by friends than he was trying to sleep in an excessively comfortable bed in a secure area of the palace, alone, guards keeping watch outside. He'd thought maybe it would get easier when Mai had the idea to swap his regular guards out for the Kyoshi warriors. It had been better, for a few nights. It was easier than breathe knowing there were friends outside instead of (possibly hostile) strangers. He'd been able to sleep - until his paranoid insomnia crept back in.  
In truth, Zuko knew he was exhausted. He knew it was bad, that "a man needs his rest", that it would soon, if it hadn't already, have an affect in his ability to lead. He just didn't know what to do about it.  
Tonight was, so far, proving to be no different. Even before his head hit the pillow, worry exploded in his mind. His heart beat fast, his breathing sped up, and despite the now ever-present exhaustion, he couldn't bring himself to close his eyes.  
Apparently they slipped closed without his permission (how dare they disobey the Firelord), because the next thing he knew, Zuko was sitting up in a panic, gasping and grasping at the threads of a nightmare that was already slipping away. Damn.  
He sits there, trying to slow his breathing, trying to simultaneously forget his nightmare and remember it. He can't tell how long he was asleep, only that it wasn't long enough. God, he's tired. If only he could stop having nightmares. If only he felt safe in his own room. If only.  
He lays back down, breathing deep and slow. He closes his eyes. He opens them. This isn't going to work and he knows it.

Resigning himself to another sleepless night, Zuko crawls out of the bed, standing and stretching in an attempt to convince his body that he'd rested. His body doesn't believe him. (That's fair, he thinks.)  
If he's going to be awake all night, he may as well be productive. After all, the rebuilding of the world takes work. Maybe he should take another look at some of those maps of Fire Nation colonies and try to figure out what to do. He heads to the door, deciding to grab some maps and try to get some work done on a solution. He pauses. He yawns. This is going to be a long night.

Zuko pushes open the door. Suki and Ty Lee are standing guard, alert as ever. When the door opens they both turn to face the sound. Zuko sees the familiar flash of sadness across their faces as they realize he's still not sleeping. 

"Zuko." Ty Lee greets him with a quick bow and a sweet smile. He tries to tell himself she isn't dripping with pity. (He fails.)  
"Everything alright?" Suki, ever dutiful, asks.

For a moment, he debates telling the truth. He decides against it. They've already guessed the truth anyway.

"Yeah, fine. I'm just gonna try to get some work done."

Suki frowns.

"Now?" She looks confused, which makes sense, but she also looks... something else? He can't put a label on it.

He hesitates just long enough for it to get awkward. (A talent of his.)

"Uh - Yeah?" His answer sounds like a question. Damn, it's not like he has to ask permission. (He's not intimidated by Suki. Really! He's not!) 

At this point in the conversation, he decides, it is time to escape. He starts to walk away when he feels a hand on his shoulder. 

"Wait," Suki pauses, "Zuko - this isn't good for you. You know that, right?"

He doesn't respond. At least, not verbally. He knows they can see they way his shoulders droop. 

"Oh." He can hear the resigned understanding in Ty Lee's voice. "Is there anything we can do?"

Zuko sighs, turning to face Ty Lee. He tries to respond.

"I - I don't know." God, his voice. He sounds so tired. He is so tired. 

Ty Lee glances down, clearly sad for him, before enveloping him in a gentle hug.

"It's okay, Zuko." She murmurs, " I have bad nights too. We all do."

He leans into the hug, burying his face in Ty Lee's shoulder. He'd needed a hug. He hadn't even realized how much.  
Ty Lee still has her arms around him when Suki begins to speak.

"Zuko, we can't let you go on like this. We're your friends." She says.

Ty Lee steps back, her hands still on Zuko's shoulders.

"What can we do?" She prompts again. "What's wrong?"

For a moment Zuko is overwhelmed. They care about him so much - more than he's used to being cared for. He's had his Uncle, of course, but that was kind of it. It wasn't like having his mom back. It was different. Somehow it still felt like having a family.  
The words rush out.  
"I just -" he breathes, starts over. "I'm sorry. I want you to know that I trust you, but - I just -"

Ty Lees squeezes his shoulders. They're listening. They care.

"There's so much pressure on me. I don't know how to make things better, and I feel like no matter what I do, I'm going to end up hurting someone. I've already hurt people. I haven't even been Fire Lord for that long and people already hate me. I don't - I just - I'm sorry. I dont feel safe." He admits.

Ty Lee's hands drop from his shoulders. She and Suki share a quick glance at each other, reacting. Trying to figure out how to help. 

"From who?" Suki asks. Her voice is gentle.

"What?" Zuko asks. (He's tired. He misses things.)

Suki rephrases.  
" You don't feel safe from who?"

Zuko thinks. He's not even sure who he's afraid of, only that the fear is paralyzing. 

"I don't even know." His voice cracks. He sounds so weak (his father's voice whispers). It's okay. He's allowed to be vulnerable. These are his friends.

"Everyone?" He continues. " No one?" He closes his eyes. "Maybe... myself?"

When he opens his eyes again, Suki is staring at him. Hard. He can tell she's thinking. 

After a moment, she puts a hand on his back and shoves him back toward his room.

"Go," she says, "Sit. I'll be right back." And then she's gone, walking swiftly away. Zuko hesitates. Maybe it's because he's so tired. He just doesn't understand.  
Ty Lee catches on quick.

"Hey, you heard her." She says softly.  
Now it's Ty Lee's hand on his back, guiding him back into the room to sit on the bed. She sits beside him. She doesn't take her hand away, and Zuko is grateful for that. It's strong, steady. Comforting. 

He glances at Ty Lee and cracks a dry smile.

"I'm willing to bet I haven't had the best aura lately." He says.

Ty Lee smiles wryly, letting out an amused puff of breath.  
"Yeah." She agrees. "No offense, Fire Lord, but recently your aura has kind of sucked." 

He laughs at that, and Ty Lee looks pleased. She likes to make people smile. 

"I'm back." Suki calls from outside the door. There are two other Kyoshi warriors with her. She says something to them and they nod. The two new Kyoshi warriors take their posts outside the door.  
Suki steps into the room, swinging the door shut behind her.  
Zuko doesn't understand what she's doing, but he's honestly too tired to care. Besides, he trusts her.  
She stands in front of him. Ty Lee joins her.

"Look," she says, "you're not sleeping and you don't feel safe. I thought maybe, if we kept guard in here, the you could know for sure we're protecting you.And if you have nightmares - shut up, I know you've been having them - we can wake you up."

It takes a second for Zuko to register what she's offering. When he does, he's filled with a sense of relief, a calm that's eluded him lately. He feels warm. He feels safe.

"That would be good." He says. Suki smiles. She grabs a chair from the side of the room and sets it next to the bed. Ty Lee takes a seat on the end of the bed, looking at the door like she's daring it to let in anyone that would hurt her friends.  
Before Suki sits down, she rests a hand on Zuko's shoulder.

"With all due respect, Fire Lord Zuko. Go the fuck to sleep." 

He nods, to tired to argue, and crawls back under the covers. He feels like a child, but not in a bad way. Like he's got two moms - no - two sisters watching over him.  
He curls up in the blankets. He's safe.  
Ty Lee watches the door. Suki sits at his bedside, humming something softly, and Zuko finally begins to drift off.  
He sleeps. For once, there are no nightmares.


End file.
